Jagran Group in conversation to buy NaiDunia

Jagran Prakashan Ltd (JPL) is looking to further strengthen its presence in the Hindi belt. The company is in dialogue with Indore-based NaiDunia Group to acquire the latter.

Sources close to the development informed exchange4media that a due diligence conversation is on-going at present in order to close the deal. It is understood that if all goes well, JPL will clinch the deal later this month.

JPL’s newspaper operations alone include seven titles in five languages, across 14 states with over 100 editions and these include titles such as the largest read daily Dainik Jagran amongst others.

The NaiDunia Group of Publication runs and operates titles such as NaiDunia and Nav Dunia, and has presence in the digital space with Webdunia. The company has presence in various markets including the likes of Delhi, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Raipur and Bilaspur.

In 2010, JPL had taken over Mid Day’s print business, thereby expanding it reach in English and even Urdu readership. Mid Day also added Mumbai in a significant way to JPL. Last year, JPL had undertaken key decisions to focus only some of the businesses of Mid Day in order to make the publication stronger in its core market.